


A Fresh Start

by I_am_a_Cephalopod



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Forgiveness, Wedding Night, agnst, god I was angry at Rumple for lying to Belle, so now I've fixed it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-29
Updated: 2014-05-29
Packaged: 2018-01-26 23:52:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1707158
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/I_am_a_Cephalopod/pseuds/I_am_a_Cephalopod
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For anonymous prompt: Rumbelle prompt: during their wedding night Rumple has really terrible breakdown because of everything he's been through. Belle comforts him and he tells her the truth abiur5 dagger. She understands and forgives him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Fresh Start

Belle’s laugh rang through the air as she tried her hardest to turn the door knob from her place in Rumple’s arms. After almost tipping both of them over she finally turned the knob, Rumple kicking the door open and carrying his wife in. She was his wife! She would never get tired of that.

Her lips were occupied suddenly by warm lips, and she giggled against them in pure elation. That was when he dropped her, causing her to screech before she hit the couch.

“Rude,” she accused, though the grin splitting her face said that she wasn’t really mad at him.

“Would you rather I had dropped you elsewhere?” Rumple asked, joining her on the couch. He immediately going to kiss at her neck. She leaned her head to the side, a hand coming up to tug lightly at his hair as his hand started skirting down her leg.

Suddenly Rumple froze completely, his muscles tensing beneath her hands and his breath coming in shallow gasps. Worried, Belle pulled back from her new husband, searching his face for whatever she did wrong.

“Rumple? What is it?” she asked softly, cupping his face in her hands. He began to shake with every breath, sitting back away from her and staring straight at her, almost through her. He looked panicked, like a scared deer, and Belle feared that any sudden movement might cause him to run, or even lash out. “Rumple?”

“Zelena,” he whispered under his breath.

Jealousy and anger flashed through Belle, two emotions she wasn’t used to dealing with. If what she thought was true, she wanted to yell at that wicked witch and cuddle her dear husband at the same time. Instead she waited in silence, trying not to push but hoping that he would talk about what ever had spooked him.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked softly after a few minutes.

“I just,” he stopped as a sob escaped him before continuing. “I tried so hard to fight it. She hurt you and I couldn’t do anything. I was so afraid she would make me hurt you, and I could do nothing to stop her. I tried, I promise I tried, she just…”

Belle wrapped him in her arms, pulling his head to rest on her chest and petting his hair as he shook in her arms. He held her around the waist, never once protesting her offer of comfort.

“You deserve better than me,” he said into her chest, Belle almost missing it. She rubbed at his arm and kissed the top of his head, hoping to calm him down.

“You’re all that I could ever want. You’re a good man, and I love you. Everything else is just details.”

“I lied to you,” he confessed quietly.

“About what?” She pulled back to look him in the eye, her forehead creasing in confusion.

“The dagger,” he explained, looking away in shame. “I gave you a fake and kept the real one for myself. I’m afraid I’m not the man you think I am.”

To say Belle was shocked would be an understatement. She sat in silent disbelief, silent for what seemed like an eternity. Rumple braced himself for the inevitability of her anger, but was surprised when she pulled him into a firm hug.

“You are the man I think you are,” she assured him. “You told me the truth, and while I’m upset that your proposal wasn’t entirely truthful, I understand. You’re not a bad man, but old habits die hard.” She pulled back and cupped his face again, her thumb swiping a tear from his cheek. “I can’t expect you to change in a day, but you have come so far from when we first met. I love you, Rumplestiltskin, and it’s going to take a lot more than that to make me stop.”

Rumple let out a watery, relieved laugh, leaning in to give her a quick kiss.

“I love you too, deary. I’d go to the end of the world to protect you,” he promised.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm afraid this might be out of character, but I feel like it's getting there. I'm still mad at Rumple though, but he deserves happiness. I just wish he hadn't lied to Belle.


End file.
